Reviewed by Sandy Green, early years consultant
Books designed to 'dip in and dip out' fall into two main categories - those that work well because they cover useful topics with enough material to make them worthwhile having to hand, and those which do not work well because they offer such limited information that they are unhelpful, and may leave the reader feeling better informed than they are.
On the whole, this book is very useful. The author's background is in teaching, special education and psychology, and many of the topics reflect this, providing what she refers to as 'The book I always wished I had had on my bookshelf...'
Just occasionally I felt that insufficient information had been given.For example, child abuse would have benefited from a more in-depth coverage, and 'measles' in the viral infection section did not reflect the potential seriousness of the condition.
The related websites at the end of topics give an immediate source to follow up on. This easy reference will be welcomed by many readers.